Frankly My Dear…That Was Delicious--Juniper, Rapid City

Accomplished British chef and cookbook author Delia Smith said, “Food is for eating, and good food is to be enjoyed... I think food is, actually, very beautiful in itself.”  I couldn’t agree more.  Over the course of the last five years, Rapid City has become a hub in the Black Hills for restaurants producing beautiful food, not only for the eyes, but for the palate as well.  Though the restaurant business is perpetually changing in this area, one personality has remained a constant—Pete Franklin.  His arrival in the Black Hills in 1999 ignited his long and evolving career here.

Franklin arrived in the Black Hills after having worked in restaurants for years.  His initial food service-related job was as a dishwasher when he was fourteen.  This sparked the flame that would become a life-long passion.  His first restaurant here was Mad Mary’s Steakhouse in Spearfish in 2001.  Then he opened the Sunset Grill.  Next was Delmonico Grill in downtown Rapid in 2007.  During this time Pete also opened the new building and concept of Manchegos, also downtown.  In 2012, Pete sold both of these businesses and took a short break. 

However, in 2013 Debbie Michealree of Catered Two Productions and Uncorked in the Canyon Lake area was incredibly busy with her daytime catering business and nighttime restaurant business.  Pete stepped in to cook at Uncorked in the evenings so Debbie could focus on the catering aspect.  Then, the duo decided to split the same kitchen and run their businesses separately but together.  In February of 2014, Debbie focused on catering only, using the kitchen during the day.  Pete’s Juniper became the evening business. 

Juniper at Uncorked...a partnership made in the kitchen.

Running two full-time endeavors out of the same space is challenging at times,  but Pete’s love for the beauty of food and the Canyon Lake neighborhood have made it all worth it.  His goal after reopening in this space is to be ever-evolving while filling the needs of this part of town.  His regular menu is always changing, using seasonal ingredients and flavorful combinations.  Pete also strives for a certain level of consistency in service and food, even if the food options are ever-changing. 

To help reach this goal, Pete recently unveiled his Saturday Prix Fixe menu—a four course meal that is different every Saturday night.  No other menu items are available that evening, just the Prix Fixe.  Wine recommendations are given for these courses, but customers can still choose other options from the wine menu.  This menu is different every Saturday, so no two weekends will be the same. Pete hopes to have these menus posted online two to three weeks in advance so patrons can plan ahead.

Beauty is found in the environment, food, and service of Juniper.

I was fortunate to visit Juniper on the first Saturday of the Prix Fixe option.  It was a wonderful experience all around, from course one to the final sip of our dessert wine.  This evening was proof that Pete Franklin has met all of his goals at Juniper.  The food was beautiful, unique, and amazing, while the service was top notch.  From start to finish, Pete’s years in the hills and his appreciation of food was evident.

Course one:  lobster bisque—this large bowl of soup was filled with flavor, topped with truffle oil, and finished with slight spice.  Our table took the wine recommendation from Server Matthew and paired the soup with the Chateau Marjosse 2013 white Bordeaux.    This was a great pairing.  The wine muted the spicy note while being a nice light wine to start the meal. 

Lobster bisque and white Bordeaux.

Course two:  prosciutto wrapped chicken breast stuffed with Taleggio on top of tomato-olive salad.  This was a light yet filling course.  The combination of the flavorful chicken and spring-like salad was perfect.  We also paired this with Matthew’s recommendation of the Marjosse, the same wine as the first course.  The wine actually seemed sweeter when paired with the savory flavors in the chicken, tomatoes, and olives.  This was another great pairing, yet an interesting demonstration of the same wine going well with two different food options.

Marjosse white Bordeaux and stuffed, prosciutto-wrapped chicken breast. 

Course three:  herb encrusted pork loin with caramelized apples, fennel, and haricot vert with fresh green beans.  This was paired with another wine endorsed by our server, the Cristom Willamette Valley 2010 Pinot Noir.  (Those of you who know me know how I feel about Oregon and Willamette Valley noirs.)  Another special pairing, the earth, mint, and red fruit of the wine was wonderful with the savory pork and slight sweetness of the apple. 

Cristom Willamette Valley Pinot Noir to pair with the roast pork.

Course four:  caramelize pear in red wine reduction sauce with mascarpone cream.  This dessert was wonderful without being too sweet and rich—a perfect way to end a delicious meal.  I tried this with the last few sips of my Pinot Noir, and really it was a better pairing than one might think.  However, the real pairing and second part of dessert came when the glasses of Chateau Doisy Vedrines Sauterne arrived.  It was a nice pairing with the dessert (as a port would have been as well), but the last few drinks of the Sauterne on its own were also incredibly special, like silk in a glass.

Caramelized pear in red wine reduction sauce.

Sauterne--silk in a glass.

 Pete Franklin proves that good food should be enjoyed for its beauty and its flavor.  His many years in the Black Hills have led him to know the area and what his patrons want.  He is not afraid to risk and try new endeavors, as shown with his Prix Fixe menu and the unique idea of sharing a kitchen with another business.  Pete’s goals of an excellent and evolving menu to meet a neighborhood’s needs show he understands the joy of excellent food.  He has definitely had a part in creating Rapid City as the culinary hub of the Black Hills and in increasing the beauty of Black Hills’ cuisine.

Ssshhhhhh...Blind Lion Speakeasy

Around the corner we looked, hoping not to be noticed.  We slipped into the back alley.  Luckily, no one was there.  My companions and I saw the door we needed.  We quickly slunk inside.  Down the long stairway we walked, a bit apprehensive about what we might find along the way.  Then we saw it:  the door.  It looked just like a safe, but we knew the “treasures” hidden behind were more than money.  After entering the code, the heavy door budged.  On the other side, the dark room invited us in further; however, first we had to pass yet another test with a secret phrase. 

Super secret entrance to the Blind Lion...shhhhhh!

Down the long stairway...

to find the door to the "safe."

The year was 1923, and prohibition was in full swing.  Because alcohol for commercial ventures was illegal, people like my group of the evening had to sneak around just to enjoy a cocktail.  Speakeasies were not uncommon, just difficult to find and dangerous to be caught frequenting.  We were on edge.

Wait!  The year was actually 2015, and my friend, her husband, my husband, and I had just passed through all the obstacles to get inside Rapid City’s Blind Lion, the only speakeasy in the Black Hills. 

The rules of the Blind Lion help you go back in time.

Though the reservation was made through text only and the entrance codes were sent this way as well, the confusion of the year can easily be explained after this initial modern interaction.  The rest of the event truly felt like being transported back in time.  The instant we stepped into the Blind Lion, we indeed could have been in 1923.  The servers were all dressed in period clothing.  The furniture was authentic.  Even the room, located in the basement of an old brick building (Murphy’s), was sound proof from the floors above.  We couldn’t hear the outside world, and the outside world could not hear us!

Everything felt like it was 1923!

Hidden away in the Blind Lion.

 Once seated, our group was offered “The Axe.”  Not to be worried; this was nothing scary.  It was what the Blind Lion called its cheese and charcuterie board.  There was also a limited but lovely looking menu for those interested in food, desserts included.  Our main interest, however, was the unique cocktail menu. 

Filled with distinctive options, the cocktails were the main reason to sneak around to this establishment.  Premium liquors, house-made ingredients, and hand-chipped ice were the basis for these drinks.  Though beer and wine options were available, as our server told us, the cocktails here should not be missed.

The drink I enjoyed was the Lavender Star:  vodka, fresh lime juice, lavender simple syrup, and Champagne.  Of course, I had to do the sparkling wine cocktail on the menu.  It only seemed right.  Light, refreshing, and flavorful, this was a great way to mix wine and liquor.  

The Lavender Star--Champagne cocktail.

My friend Amy ordered the Pear Side Car:  pear brandy, orange sour, and brown sugar syrup with a rock brown sugar rim.  Beautifully served in a martini glass, this was a drink worth trying.

The Pear Sidecar--pear brandy and rock brown sugar rim.

Amy’s other half Bryce ordered the Burnt Apple.  This absinthe-based cocktail packed a kick as it was mixed with apple whiskey, Licor 43, Peychaud’s Bitters, and cinnamon.  Though this was a very tasty concoction, the art of creating this drink made it even more special.  Behind the bar, the inside of the glass was coated with liquor and then set afire.  This fire was put out when the mixed drink from the shaker was poured into the martini glass and then topped with a round apple slice.

The Burnt Apple--work of art in the form of a cocktail.

Brian, my other half, ordered the most unique drink on the menu—the Smoking Barrel.  A special machine was used to smoke the customer’s choice of tobacco.  The smoke was pumped into a small carafe with the liquor of choice—in Brian’s case Pendelton Whiskey—then swirled with the smoke to infuse the alcohol.  This infused whiskey was then poured over a large ice ball in a cognac-style glass, which held the smoke on top of the liquor.  This was beautiful!

Making the Smoking Barrel.

Our cocktails were sipped in pure indulgence as we enjoyed the exclusive environment of the speakeasy (including a dress code that requests patrons to at least be in business casual attire).  Many other wonderful options of cocktails were on the menu.  We just couldn’t try them all in one night…and still make it up the stairs!  This just means that another visit to the Blind Lion must be in our near future.

We felt as if we needed to hide even as we sneaked out of the hidden bar to end the evening.  It wasn’t until we hit Main Street Rapid City to view modern vehicles and numerous people taking selfies on cell phones that we realized we had been transported back to the modern era.  Whether prohibition was really a simpler time—or it just felt that way to us that night—I’m sure could be argued.  However, the Blind Lion is a hidden gem.  People who enjoy a special ambiance and artful cocktails instead of a dirty bar and cheap beer will rave about this clandestine experience.   Don’t be apprehensive to feel as if you are breaking the law.  Sneak a peek soon!

Leading the Way--Backwards Distilling Company

            Step right up, folks!  Come see the newest attraction under the big top:  Backwards Distilling in Casper, Wyoming!  Definitely not a sideshow act, Wyoming’s first clear spirits distillery deserves the attention of the center ring.  Two and a half years ago, the Pollock family started its own “circus” when the four conceived the idea of making spirits in the center of big, wonderful Wyoming.

Backwards Distilling Company--cool logo and even cooler spirits.

            The name Backwards comes from the four members of the Pollock family:  dad Bill, daughter Amber, son Chad, and mom Kathy—BACK.  They began looking for words that had the root of BACK, and when they saw backwards, they knew it was perfect.  The route the family has taken to get the spirits produced has been a bit backward.   Instead of having the background, knowledge, and experience in distilling and then getting the idea to go commercial, the Pollocks decided to go commercial first, and then get the background, knowledge, and experience in distilling. 

The family that distills together--Chad, Kathy, Amber, and Bill.

            Chad is the head distiller.  He spent a year and a half traveling around the United States and Europe getting hands-on education while sampling vodkas, bourbons, and rums to decide what type he wanted to make.  Experts such as former Maker’s Mark’s distiller, Dave Pickerell, were invaluable to Chad’s learning curve.  Also central to Chad’s spirit production was his time spent in the EU.  Chad knew he wanted to create a vodka in a similar style to Russian vodka, but since travel to Russia wasn’t meant to be, he learned much on a trip to Belgium, where he was able to visit a bar with over 400 vodkas on the menu.

Chad enjoying a taste of his Ringleader Vodka.

           Amber is the head of, and in charge of, the tasting room.  Her most important job is crafting the cocktail menu, which uses Backwards Distilling Ringleader Vodka exclusively.  With no background training, Amber educated herself to make drinks using all house-made and fresh ingredients.  For instance, the Backwards Mule uses ginger beer made on-site and fresh lime juice mixed with the Ringleader Vodka.  This ever-changing menu will change to include other Backwards spirits once those are ready.  Amber also maintains the website and social media outlets.  She has even created an event schedule for the upcoming months that will include everything from infusion classes to yoga sessions. 

Amber behind the bar crafting one of her signature cocktails.

Though Chad and Amber may be the heart of production and tasting, Mom and Dad, Kathy and Bill, are the head, arms, legs, hands, feet, and veins of the business.  Bill is the maintenance head, distiller rat, cellar worker, compliance agent, and overall right-hand man of the operation.  He cleans the facility, supervises the still, helps with bottling, labels the product, etc.—and by etc. I mean a little bit of everything else that happens at Backwards.  Bill also works with the TTB on all government reporting.  Kathy could be considered the efficiency agent; she keeps everything organized and on schedule, or as Amber claims, “tells everyone what to do” (as moms should!).  Kathy also did all the decorating of the tasting room, which created an ambiance lightly based on the circus theme of the business but also heavily based on the theme of super, super cool place to hang out!  A small supporting cast helps the Pollocks with accounting and tasting room hours.

Super cool tasting room area designed by Kathy.

The initial mission of the family and Backwards Distilling is to make excellent spirits in their home state.  All four—mom, dad, and both kids—graduated from Natrona County High School in Casper.  Bill and Kathy attended the University of Wyoming at Casper College, Amber graduated from UW, and Chad graduated from Wyotech.  The business plan these Wyomingites created had the Ringleader Vodka as the first release; this was in early November of 2014.  The reason Ringleader was first so income could be generated as early as possible for the business since vodka doesn’t require any aging.  Also, vodka is the “king of spirits” and the best-selling spirit in most markets.  Future plans include a Sword Swallower Rum, a Contortionist Gin, and a Strongman Gin.  Another line of spirits called Milk Can Moonshine is also in the works.  The rum and future bourbons are already aging in barrel and will stay there up to four years.  Chad recently tasted the gins to evaluate their progress; they aren’t ready just yet.  However, this spring a new product will be launched.

Vodka doesn't barrel age, but Backwards has bourbons already in barrel. 

This truly Wyoming endeavor then expanded that mission to also educate residents of rural areas like ours about spirits and the cocktail culture.  This is no easy feat in the most sparsely-populated state in the nation, where most drink cheap beer instead of high quality cocktails.  Amber’s events are primarily to promote the knowledge of this cocktail culture.  She wants people to know that worthy cocktails should taste good and be enjoyed slowly as she helps elevate palates of Wyoming residents.  Her upcoming infusions class will teach not only to infuse Ringleader Vodka with different flavors, but also to make balanced cocktails that are delicious.  Other future classes will also work to support this second goal.

At the tasting bar, ready to promote cocktail culture. 

Yet a third goal is to construct a place for people to hang out and enjoy these great spirits created into wonderful cocktails, to build a source of entertainment for the Casper area.  The tasting room is open Wednesday through Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday from noon to 9:00 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5:00 p.m.  In-depth tours of the production and barrel area are given free on Saturday and Sunday.  Bottling parties are also available so consumers can get even closer to the process—to see, smell, and touch the products. 

Tour the barrel and production area.

The Pollocks have definitely met their first goal of creating quality spirits in their home state.  The Ringleader Vodka just recently won silver at the American Craft Spirits Association 2015 meeting.  A part of Chad feels as if he is “not happy unless it’s gold.”  He plans to keep working on the quality of his product, but the tasting notes from American Craft Spirits claimed Ringleader wasn’t “neutral enough,” and Chad wants a product that has some character.  Even though vodka is supposed to be colorless and flavorless, when one compares four vodkas in a side-by-side blind tasting, differences are obvious.  Chad wants his vodka to be a blank canvas for drinks but also have a flavor all its own.  He sees Ringleader as part of the renaissance of high-quality vodkas that have some character, a step up from the “cheap” and mass produced clear spirits out there. 

Ringleader is a great vodka!  Even people like myself—who once had a bad experience with vodka and tend to shy away from it—can enjoy this.  Though it isn’t how this spirit is meant to be enjoyed, a straight tasting of the vodka (in an adorable tasting glass) shows it has a very-slight sweetness followed by a warm, not hot, finish as it goes down. In a cocktail, the Ringleader is even better.  We tried the Backwards Mule, a wonderfully refreshing take on the Moscow Mule made with Ringleader, fresh lime juice, and house-made ginger beer on ice, served in the cutest Backwards Distilling copper mug.  Backwards’ entire cocktail list is very impressive.  The Punch of the Week is another option, served in an actual punch bowl with crystal mugs.  Still more choices include the coffee-based 24 Hour Man and the spicy Three Man High drink, Backwards’ take on the Bloody Mary. 

Backwards Mule--made with all fresh ingredients, including house-made ginger beer.

Not only does the product taste great and make great cocktails, the bottle is the coolest—and I mean the coolest—bottle I have ever seen!  Designed by Ignite Advertising in Portland, the embossed writing on the front label has the Backward Distilling logo (which is also super trendy in and of itself).  Turn the bottle to the back, and there he is—the ringleader peeking through the curtains with his whip.  Seriously awesome!

The ringleader peeking out of the back of the Ringleader Vodka bottle.

To buy Backwards Distilling Ringleader Vodka, the best choice would be to stop at the tasting room and production facility in Casper—actually in Mills—Wyoming at 158 Progress Circle.  The ability to see the stylish tasting room is unmatched.  However, also plan to go on a weekend tour to see the gin pot still made by Vin Dome from Kentucky, the gorgeous still made by Kothe all the way in Germany, and the barrels for aging made by Kelvin, also of Kentucky.  If a trip to the actual tasting room isn’t feasible, the spirit is available already in up to twenty liquor stores in Wyoming.  If your local store in Wyoming doesn’t carry Ringleader yet, it can be requested from the state liquor division and arrive quickly.  Plans for distribution outside of the state are in the making but are still quite far in the future.   

Being the first clear spirits producer in Wyoming might seem like a circus side show act, but the Pollocks have turned their plan into a performance worthy of center-ring billing.  The ringleaders of a craft spirit and cocktail movement in their home state, Bill, Amber, Chad, and Kathy turned a family dinner conversation into a high-quality product made in a facility all should visit.  Though they may have gone about their business venture in a backward way, they are definitely on a forward trajectory to build cocktail culture in big, wonderful Wyoming!

                                              Vodka for Dummies

             I asked Chad to give me the "how to make vodka for dummies" lesson. This is a truly over-simplified description of the production process; however, I’m the dummy who needed an easy lesson.

1. Water is brought to a boil in the mash tank. Grain is added. The boiling water breaks down the starches in the grain.

Grain and boiling water in the mash tank.

2. Enzyme or barley is added; this turns the broken-down starches into simple sugars.
3. Mash tank is cooled to ready for fermentation.
4. Yeasts are added to start fermentation.
5. Fermentation takes place for up to seven days in the fermentation tanks.

Fermentation tanks. 

6. The first pass through the columns of the still takes place; this boils off the liquid to concentrate the alcohol. First pass usually gets the alcohol to about 85%. This can take about eight hours.

Column still distills the spirit.

7. The low run drips spirit out of still.
8. Back to the still for the second run to concentrate alcohol. This second run takes substantially longer than the first—up to fifty hours!
9. After second run spirit should be 190 proof to be a legal vodka.

Vodka dripping from still.

10.  Light carbon filter to take out impurities.
11. Cool to proof slowly.
12. A second and different filter process takes place from the chill filtration—takes out more impurities and makes vodka clear.

Cold filtration tank.

13. Once down to 80 proof, goes straight to bottle.
14. Now is ready for consumption and sale.

And the Oscar Goes To...

Here is what I hope is my successful entry for this month's Monthly Wine Writing Challenge--#mwwc15.  (Learn more about the #mwwc here.)I have looked forward to writing this each month I have participated--successful or not--and I look forward to the other successful bloggers' entries.  Keep writing!

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           The glitz and glamor of the Oscars--actresses dolled up in designer gowns, draped in thousands of dollars of jewels, and actors looking dapper in tailored tuxedo suits…the red carpet…the acceptance speeches!  This is the pinnacle of moviemaking, the ultimate sign of success in Hollywood.  Getting to take home one of those little gold men, Oscar, means one has really made it. 

Though there are numerous wine awards across the globe—all the way from state fairs to regional conferences to prominent magazine honors—because wine is so subjective, there is no one “Oscar” for the wine world.  There is no single way a wine would be considered successful.  In fact, the definition of success in the wine world probably varies depending on whether you make wine, market wine, or drink wine.

The Marketer

           The marketing and selling of wine might be the easiest area in which to gauge achievement. Obviously if a wine makes money, there is some level of success.  Two years ago I blogged about the top-selling wines of Wyoming in 2012 (read that blog here).  I would say that most people wouldn’t consider Franzia chilled red a “successful” wine; however, people drink it!  So some level of accomplishment must be given here.  Maybe the accomplishment doesn’t go to the wine itself, but to the technology that allows wine to be kept alive for weeks after opening, or to the marketing of these products to a multitude of consumers, or to the frugality of drinkers when choosing what to enjoy (which is what I finally decided when I was contemplating wine sales of my home state). 

Maybe judging the success of wine through sales is a bit complicated too.

The Consumer

Then let’s judge the success of wine through the wine drinkers, the people spending this money on wine.  One wineaux (AKA, wine lover) said that a wine is successful when a producer has met the quality to have people enjoy it.  True...but we just learned that people may enjoy a wine based more on price level than actual quality.  Another wineaux said, “When multiple bottles sit on a table surrounded by happy friends and family savoring and enjoying each sip.”  This is a more correct statement.  Here the wine is not being judged on price, but on experience.  The experience of enjoying wine is one of the most important aspects of wine, and yet, it is another intangible, another level that can not really be measured. 



Some of my favorite wineauxs enjoying the experience of wine!

Sommeliers and wine critics would be more objective about wine quality, but even these experts have subjective points of view. 

The Critic

I learned very early in my wine career that there were generally two sides of taste:  the Robert Parker Camp and the Jancis Robinson Camp.  (This camp seems to be expanding; it could also be called the Alice Feiring camp, or the Jon Bonne camp, or the Eric Asimov camp.) Parker has become known for loving big, fruit forward, heavily oaked, generally more robust wines with high levels of alcohol.  Are there many quality wines with these attributes?  Of course!  However, do all wines with these characteristics exhibit excellence?  No. 

The Robinson et al. camp supports more natural wines:  wines with less inference after harvest, more organic or biodynamic grapes, higher acid levels, and lower alcohol in the end product.   Of course, both of these are over-generalized statements about these wine authorities, really doing neither camp justice. 

The point is that even those who spend years researching and honing their crafts and levels of wine knowledge have specific tastes in wine, making the idea of success still unclear.

Alice Feiring et al. books on wine.

The Wine Maker   

Another group of experts in the field of wine would definitely be the wine makers.  They are uncompromising judges of what makes a wine successful.  True, they also want to sell wine, but (I am going to claim) the majority of producers genuinely care about the products they make.  According to two very dedicated winemakers, success starts in the vineyard, no matter where grapes are grown.  William Allen of Two Shepherds (of Sonoma County, California) and Patrick Zimmerer (of Huntley, Wyoming) use grapes grown in very different environments, but both state that wine starts with the grapes, and this is the ultimate deciding factor on the outcome of the final product.

Allen, who primarily works with Rhone varieties, knows that if grapes are grown to show the purest expression of the variety and vintage year, his job is then to do as little manipulation as possible to the fruit when turning it into wine.  The real work happens in the vineyard, deciding when to pull leaves, change the canopy, thin the fruit, and irrigate the vines.  All of this is before determining the precise ripeness through flavor, sugar, and acid levels after Mother Nature has, inevitably, made the decision to pick a bit of a gamble.  (Read more about Two Shepherds wines here).

Two Shepherds wines--success starts in the vineyard.

 Though Zimmerer grows hybrid grapes in an environment that could be considered almost completely opposite of Sonoma County, he echoes the thoughts of Allen.  He agrees successful wines happen in the vineyard, but his gamble with Mother Nature is even more intense.  Wyoming grapes always take a chance of whether they make it to ideal ripeness due to so many more natural weather obstacles.  Hail storms, mid-May freezes, September snows, an early or late frost, and a short growing season all hinder ideal picking conditions.  However, sun, water, and soil enable Zimmerer to be the steward to help the grapes along the way, finally ushering the fruit through fermentation to the bottle.

Table Mountain Vineyards--Wyoming vines and wines.

The Ultimate Test

            Even winemakers agree that to truly produce a successful wine, it is enjoyed with friends, a meal, or a special occasion.  The wine should reflect the year the grapes were grown, the weather, and the work it took to make the end product.  Sometimes even this level of success takes the same patience as waiting for the fruit to grow and the wine to ferment. Often a difficult vintage year where Mother Nature was uncooperative and yields were low can turn into quite a victory in the bottle if just given some time.  Allen says this is accurate of his 2011 wines, wines that will eventually delight consumers as one of his best years yet.  Zimmerer also states that each harvest, especially in Wyoming, is very extraordinary, but with special care and attention every step of the way, the final product can be celebrated as a success!

            Winemakers are probably the last people to want to dress up and walk a red carpet in the fanciest of clothes…and maybe this is a good thing since truly successful wines are so subjective and difficult to choose.  A successful wine isn’t necessarily one that gets the highest rating, or makes the most money, or gets the most accolades.  A successful wine is one that shows where it is from, not only the region, but the time and the weather.  It is a wine that was loved from vine, to bud break, to leaf, to fruit, to harvest.  It is a wine that is cared for deeply after picking, even if that care is shown by the least amount of intervention possible.  A successful wine may have to sit in the bottle while the winemaker patiently waits for it to be ready to show its true sense of time and place.  Then, this wine is enjoyed by consumers—genuinely and deeply enjoyed—maybe with special people, maybe at a special location, maybe for a special event.  Whatever the case, it evokes memories as well as creates them.  The Oscar would be awarded with a “Cheers,” a sip, and a smile. 

Hail to the Chief..of Wine

Recently, a wine-loving Facebook friend mentioned that she was auditioning for the game show Jeopardy.  As part of her studies, she planned on spending a lot of time on presidential history, as this evidently shows up often on Jeopardy episodes.  Though there is no Jeopardy audition in my future, I thought I would also study-up on my presidential trivia, pertaining to wine, of course! 

Current president Barrack Obama made headlines his second inauguration, not by choosing an American-made wine, but by choosing two wines from a lesser known wine state—New York.  The Finger Lakes region’s 2010 Tierce Dry Riesling was served at the inaugural luncheon along with a 2009 Bedell Cellars Merlot from Long Island. 

Tierce Dry Riesling--a Finger Lakes Wine.

For a toast over this same meal, another American wine was featured—Korbel’s Russian River Valley Natural Champagne.  Those of you who know that only wines produced in the traditional method from the Champagne region of France gasped at the label of that wine; you joined the French who were chagrined by the move as well.  However, French law has been loosely translated to allow the grandfathering in of certain sparkling wines as long as they are labeled “California Champagne.”

This isn’t the first time Korbel’s sparklings may have caused a controversy for a president and an inauguration.  Korbel wines crossed party lines and were also served for Ronald Reagan’s inauguration in 1985, George Bush in 1989, Bill Clinton in 1993 and 1997, George W. Bush in 2001 and 2005, and Barack Obama in 2009 and 2013. 

Korbel Natural "Champagne"

Jimmy Carter, known as being a peanut farmer, was actually a grape grower and wine maker.  He made his own wine for years, selling bottles of his private label wines at benefit auctions to support his Carter Center and its philanthropic work.    

President Gerald Ford, from Michigan, often served Michigan wines, wines that are now having a boom in growth and respect. 

President Richard Nixon loved French wines, especially Bordeaux.  It was said that he would often hide his bottle of wine from this prestigious region of France so guests drinking other wines wouldn’t know Nixon was breaking former President Johnson’s rule (and drinking wine much more expensive than theirs!). 

While he was president in the 1960s, President Lyndon B. Johnson ushered in the golden age of American wine in the 1970s as he made the decree that only American wines should be served in the White House.  Up until this time, French wine and food dominated White House dinners.  After switching to American wine, American fare began to be showcased, as regional dishes were served more often as well.    

Ushering in the golden age of American wines.

President John F. Kennedy and his beautiful wife Jackie were the presidential couple known for bringing wine back to the White House table on a regular basis.  They loved French cuisine and also liked Bordeaux wines, but President Kennedy preferred whites, such as Chateau Haut Brion Blanc. 

History of wine in the White House becomes a little less evident before, during, and after the years of prohibition when groups like the Women’s Christian Temperance Union made alcohol a political issue and unpopular for a president to imbibe. 

George Washington was said to drink a lot of Madeira.  So much, in fact, that he spent thousands of dollars on the drink over the course of a year.

Of course, no conversation about presidents and wine would be complete without Thomas Jefferson.  Jefferson was known for loving French wine, but he also had a great appreciation for Italian wines, like Barolo.  His Monticello estate had a wine cellar and special dumb waiter just to bring wine from the cellar.  He documented attempts to grow wine grapes in Virginia and the United States.  Unfortunately, at the time, none of the vines thrived.  (I think he would be so pleasantly surprised at the booming VA wine industry today.)   His vast collection of expensive and prestigious bottles was also well documented.  Much more mysterious was the fate of many of these bottles hundreds of years later.  (Read The Billionaire’s Vinegar to learn more about whether one of these bottles still existed to be sold at auction—good book.) 

The Billionaire's Vinegar--a great book on President Jefferson's wine history.

Even if you are not headed to your Jeopardy trial, presidential history is important.  To any wine enthusiast, presidential wine trivia can be really interesting.  From Madeira to Michigan, enjoy the wines of the presidents with a glass for yourself today.  Happy President’s Day!

I Love You--Wines I Love

            As Valentine’s Day quickly approaches, I have been thinking about love and all the different types of love there are in the world.  Obviously, this holiday centers on romantic love, or eros, but there are many other types of love to celebrate.  There is agape love, or unconditional love, usually applied to parents’ love for their children.  Another important type of love is philia love, or brotherly love seen in friendships.  I am not sure what category of love my affection for wine would fall under, but as I reminisced about the wines I have truly adored drinking this year, I realized that each one was somehow related to a person for which I care deeply.  Coincidence?  I think not.  Here are the wines I have truly enjoyed this past year and the special people I love who shared the wines with me.

            Vueve Clicquot Brut:  Purchased in a split, this was the bottle my husband and I enjoyed last year on Valentine’s Day.  We were actually staying in a hotel; however, not in a romantic endeavor for the lover’s holiday, but because we were on a two-day road trip for our son’s basketball team.  We tucked away two bottles of wine to enjoy when we were finished watching basketball, and this Clicquot was one of them.  Acidic and yeasty with lots of orange citrus on the palate, we toasted each other, our children, and our love of twenty-five years.

            King Estate Pinot Noir 2006:  After our bubbly toast, we moved on to one of my favorite grapes from one of my favorite regions, a Pinot Noir from Oregon.  I love the paradox of the delicate wine with a robust flavor.  Light bodied but filled with black and red fruits, a hint of eucalyptus mint, and perfect acid, the aromas seemed to last forever, and so did the finish.  We drank a glass of this by itself, but it would be a wonderful food-pairing wine for multiple foods.  Always better in great stemware, my spouse and I routinely carry stemless Riedel glasses on our travels for moments just like this.

            GH Mumm Champagne:  I love sparkling wines for all occasions, true Champagnes included.  However, special occasions scream for a quality Champagne, and this event was one such time:  our daughter’s college graduation.  As very young parents, the culmination of twenty-two years of dreams for our child was very special…for child and parents. I didn’t take any formal tasting notes on this wine; I just watched as the server uncorked the bottle and poured the beautiful bubbles into flutes.  Then I enjoyed every last sip, toasting the graduate, her BFF and fellow graduate, our family, and her friends.  An extraordinary moment, it was commemorated with a lovely glass of bubbles. 

            Le Cigare Volant 2009:  The next special wine relates to our youngest child, a senior in high school.  My hubby and I have spent years following our son’s sports career and have enjoyed every second of it.  In November, this athlete played in his last football game, a tough loss in the state semi-finals.  Though he wasn’t involved in the drinking of the Bonny Doon bottle, his father and I poured ourselves a glass when we returned home from the game.  We sipped together, mourning the loss in our own way, which was really about mourning the passing of time on our parenting.  For a GSM (Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre) blend, it was robust without being overpowering, fruity without being sweet, and tannic without being bitter.  A balanced wine, we enjoyed it when we sipped before purchasing from the tasting room outside of Santa Cruz and enjoyed it again after this parenting moment. 

            Cartograph Mariah Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012:  I’ve already stated that Pinot Noir is my personal favorite grape…especially when made into special wines.  This summer, my family visited Cartograph Winery in Healdsburg, California, including meeting winemakers Alan and Serena.  I joined the wine club after tasting their amazing wines and seeing some grapes were sourced from Mariah Vineyards, spelled just like my only sister’s name.  I opened this bottle to pair with the annual murder mystery dinner a group of friends and I have made our New Year’s tradition.  Strawberry and cherry with earth and a bright chokecherry color, it was the perfect pairing for a slightly spicy jambalaya as main course.  It was an even better pairing with wonderful friends with whom I love to spend time!

            Williams Selyem Hirsch Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011:  Another winery my family visited this summer, the facility is awe-inspiring, to say the least.  I bought several bottles, some to cellar and some to enjoy on special occasions.  My forty-first birthday seemed like a good enough reason to break out this bottle, sourced from the also prestigious Hirsch Vineyard in northern Sonoma, an absolutely beautiful wine in color, smell, and flavor.  It was another wine I merely enjoyed, instead of formally evaluating, while eating a steak and shrimp supper with my husband and son, basking in the blessings that aging has given me.

            Williams Selyem Heintz Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2010:  I wish I could claim ownership of this William Selyem wine, but I actually stumbled upon this by accident.  A friend of mine was given it from her father-in-law and almost gave it to her child’s teacher as a Christmas gift.  I selfishly told her to save it for herself, me, and a Chardonnay-loving friend.  We opened it to relish a sip on a random day while we enjoyed each other’s company, three girls giggling and laughing over a glass of vino!  Just a hint of butter on both the nose and the palate, this wine was packed with fruit flavor and perfect acid.  Truly, the best California chard I have experienced, made even better by the company shared while sipping it.

            Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling 2013: A fairly simple bottle of dry Riesling, I grew an emotional attachment to this wine region when I visited after the death of my father.  I enjoyed the area and the visit to this important and beautiful Finger Lakes winery.  After making the bottles of wine I brought home and got from a short-term wine club last over a year, I was so surprised to find this wine at a small-town liquor store in Wyoming (read about that lucky break here); I have returned to that store on several occasions to keep a bottle on hand.  I have a great appreciation for the Riesling grape, especially quality, dry Rieslings.  This reasonably priced wine smells of fruit and flowers, with a hint of stone.  On the palate it is a perfect representation of the flavor of a Riesling, just without the sugar that often overpowers these nuances in American examples. 

            Though it is incredibly difficult to categorize my feelings for wine, it was not challenging to choose my favorite wines of the past year.  They were all outstanding wines, but they were all also paired with great people—special people—at significant places during important occasions.  Being with the people I love while drinking these wines made the wines that much more extraordinary, that much more meaningful.  I loved these wines, each in unique and different ways, for both the wines themselves and those sharing with me.  That is love…of children, of spouses, of friends, of memories…of wine.